Business Leaders Task Force
The Business Leaders Task Force was created to strengthen inclusive workplace practices.
Overview
This initiative of the Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Roundtable, the Business Leaders Task Force (BLTF), includes 14 major local employers and three community partners who are collectively committed to finding ways to create more inclusive workplace practices. The BLTF decided to focus its first effort on local purchasing and procurement to meet its goals and steer investment into local communities of color.
As reported by the National Minority Supplier Development Council, diverse suppliers across the country:
- Generate $400 billion in economic output
- Create or preserve 2.2 million jobs
- Create $49 billion in annual revenue for local, state and federal tax authorities
The Business Leaders Task Force understands the power of these numbers and formed the Buffalo Purchasing Initiative to increase spending with businesses of color.
Buffalo Purchasing Initiative
The Buffalo Purchasing Initiative was born out of the Business Leaders Task Force, with a goal of creating a convening resource for Buffalo’s large employers to explore strategies and share resources to expand purchasing opportunities with local businesses owned by people of color. A pilot program has proven to be successful and has led to an expansion of the businesses involved and the work.
Partners
- Buffalo Niagara Partnership
- Catholic Health
- City of Buffalo
- Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
- Erie County Medical Center
- Highmark Western and Northeastern NY
- Independent Health
- Kaleida Health
- KeyBank
- M&T Bank
- Moog
- Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation
- Rich’s
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
- SUNY Buffalo State
- University at Buffalo
- Wegmans
Resources
Racial Equity Tool
A CEO Blueprint for Racial Equity
This blueprint provides support and collaboration in developing guidelines for businesses to analyze their impact on racial equity.
View
Report
The Racial Equity Dividend: Buffalo’s Great Opportunity
The report details what we all stand to gain when we close racial equity gaps in our community.
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